Altered Realities: Book Three - Lena
by SarcasmIsMyIntent
Summary: & alternate universe, !ResurrectedLogan x !SpencerOFC, read my bio & Lena's life up until more recently has been mostly quiet and uneventful since her arrival in Port Charles. But with Helena Cassadine dropping an old family secret on her lap, an ex husband who just won't stay gone and the way Logan Hayes just sort of bursts into Lena's life, things are about to get interesting.
1. Chapter 1

ONE

* * *

Lena

"What the hell? Is that somebody going into my…?" I mumbled the words in an audible whisper, eyes wide with shock and a racing heart. My first fear is that it's Troy, my bastard ex and the father of my 5 year old son and the fight or flight reaction kicks in and I go into autopilot.

I think the first thing I did was text Aria, my son's babysitter and tell her to get Colton and sneak out the back of the cabin, go down to her house and call 911 as soon as she got there. The second thing I did?

I parked my car in the driveway of the empty cabin next to mine and I dug around in my console with shaking hands and a racing heart to try and locate the handgun I bought about 2 years ago right after we moved to town. It goes everywhere with me because I never know when Troy will show up and try to kidnap our son a third time. After that, I watched for a few seconds, pretending to be somebody using the phone and I waited; making sure my son and Aria were safely outside and heading to her own cabin and then I loaded my gun and I quietly got out of my car.

By now, whoever I'd seen going into my house was inside. My adrenaline was rushing and all I could think about was Troy was finally about to see just how badly he fucked up coming here and trying to stir up chaos.

I cut through the backyard of the vacant cabin and snuck up onto my sun porch. There's a spare key in a flower pot that Colton got me for Mother's day when he was 4 and I grabbed that, hurrying inside quietly. I slipped off the stilettos I'd worn to work and I tiptoed through the back of the house.

Imagine my surprise when it wasn't Troy breaking in.

As I stepped into the living room and clicked the gun off safety, the old woman raised her hands and then said in a calm tone, "Ah ah.. Put the gun down, Lena."

"Who the fuck are you and how do you know my name?" I asked the only logical question to ask at this point because the rest of the situation defied logic. I've never seen this woman in my entire life and for some reason… she scares me?

Think creepy cannibal grandmother and you've pretty much got the mental images flooding my mind at the moment. All I could think was what the hell was taking PCPD so long to actually get here and be of use.

"I don't think so. Not until you start answering my questions." I nodded to the couch. She gave this bone chilling evil smirk and she answered calmly, " At least you have a backbone, not like your simpering idiot of a mother and your simpering idiot of a twin."

… _. Okay then.. she's obviously escaped an institution and she has mental problems.'_ I thought to myself before promptly blurting it out and making damn sure to keep the gun brandished.. That is until the giant asshole who'd been standing there silent the whole time with her raised his own gun with one hand and held out his other hand signaling for mine.

"Do I look fucking stupid to you?" I kept my gun until the old woman spoke up in this cold but casual tone, "It would be a shame."

"What would?"

"For your little bastard to grow up motherless and raised by a halfwit criminal."

… _. And bingo, you found my weakness.'_ I thought to myself as I reluctantly handed over my gun and sat down as she nodded for me to do. I mean there was literally nothing left but my complete and utter compliance.. And yes, deeper down, parts of me were curious too.

Scared shitless, but curious.

My curiosity was rewarded when she answered my previous query and informed me that my parents were not my actual parents and that she held the proof. I think I laughed for a good five minutes before she rattled off their home phone number and then asked me to call them.

And I did.. I'm not sure what I expected to happen, but when I asked my dad, "She's losing her shit right, sir?" all my father could do was sigh sadly and tell me that she wasn't lying. And that made me angrier. Especially when I found out that they were paid dearly to keep their mouths shut and never tell me unless she specifically told them they were allowed.

Our call didn't last long but I definitely planned on calling back just as soon as the cops finally got their asses out here and got this bitch out of my sights. Until then though, I was stuck there, listening to her, confused and angry about my entire life with each additional word she spoke. When she finished, she gave a soft laugh and I glared at her, hatred burning in my eyes.

"Don't look at me like that, dear.. I'm only tying up loose ends.. What hurts worse, dear? The fact that the parents you were raised by and love lied to you? Or the fact that your real parents will probably never want a thing to do with you and there's nothing you can do about it?"

"You miserable bitch!" I started to lunge, her hand met my cheek in one fluid stroke and the sting of her slap lingered for seconds.. The sting and shock of her words?

I'm still dealing with that shit. Just as I heard the sirens approaching and I knew I was safe, she managed to stick my neck with something and when I came to in the back of an ambulance heading for Benson Hurst General with a throbbing head and a dry mouth, she was nowhere to be found.

"She's alive." the cocky smirk the guy gave me as his blue eyes met my hazel ones made me groan. "My son.."

"Is with your neighbor still. She flagged us down on the way out, hon. Told us what was goin on. You know you coulda gotten killed, playing hero like that." he mused and I glared as I told him calmly, "Well the day I sit back and wait on a damn man to ride in to my rescue is the day I might as well bend over and kiss my ass goodbye."

"I'm hurt, hon. Not all men are bad."

"No, you're right about that.. But when you only seem good at finding the bad ones." I wheezed and started coughing, it felt like my throat was closing up.

I decided then and there.. If I ever see that old bitch again I'll shoot first and ask questions later. Because if I'd done that this time instead of sneaking up on her and ultimately throwing away my upper hand in the situation, I wouldn't be on my way to the ER right now and she would be on her way to a morgue. But her story and the files she left me to read and 'do whatever I wished with', they were burning a hole in the forefront of my mind.. Who was the old woman to me?

And why did I get the feeling that despite what she'd have me to believe, there was so much more to the story than she told me.. Parts of me still stupidly clung to the hope that my dad had been lying when I called but I knew the tone of his voice well… Broken and defeated.. Same as when my mom died last year when she couldn't fight her illness anymore and all she wanted to do was be put out of her misery.

I know that tone well enough to know that even though it was the last thing he wanted to do, he'd had to tell me the truth tonight and risk losing me too.. I moved to sit up as the ambulance came to a stop and instead of just letting me, the blond police officer calmly pushed me back onto the stretcher and then effortlessly picked me up and sat me in a wheelchair seconds later.

… _His hands against my skin feel fucking erotic…_ was probably the last stupid but coherent thought I had before my world went black again. When I came to an hour later, he was sitting there beside my bed, yelling at a football game on tv with a dark haired male sitting on the couch close by laughing hysterically at his anger.

I cleared my throat so he'd know I was awake.

My son saw me sitting up and he scrambled up onto the bed with me, talking a mile a minute, informing me that the cop with the erotic hands took him not only to get ice cream but to Kelly's Diner on their way here to the hospital to get chili cheese fries.

"You seriously gave him dessert… before actual food?"

"The kid had a rough afternoon, hon. He was real upset and shaken up when he saw ya getting put in the back of the ambulance."

Sensing that the man probably had the world's thickest skull and he'd argue me until we were both blue in the face I sighed and told Colton gently, "Don't get used to it, slugger, okay? Tonight was special and it was scary for all of us."

"But you was brave, momma! Just like when daddy came and.." I hurriedly clamped my hand over my son's mouth. The last thing I wanted was this guy, the guy who fed my kid sweets before food thinking I was anything less than a damn good mother. He eyed me, a curious look and Colton was still trying to talk.

"Kids, huh?"

"What was he about to say?"

"Nothing that's anybody's business but mine, okay? Trust me, officer.. If there was a problem I'd tell you."

"Woman, you didn't even place the 911 call tonight on your own.. The sitter did."

The darker haired guy cleared his throat and gave Officer Erotic Hands a warning look and the guy fell silent. "Okay, alright, woman." he muttered finally. The dark haired officer introduced himself and then took over, he asked me all the usual questions, what did the old woman look like, what did she say and when I finished, I happened to meet those stormy blue eyes of Officer Erotic Hands again and he was gaping at me.

"How in the hell do you know Helena Cassadine?"

"I don't..?"

"The woman you just described that broke into your cabin, woman.. That's Helena. Right down to the hairstyle and the way she spoke.. What the hell was she doing in your cabin?"

"Apparently, officer, she was getting her jollies.. Look, all I know is she completely fucked up my life tonight.. Things came out.." I trailed off. I didn't want to get into it with my son in the room because I didn't want to upset him and I didn't know how things were going to go between the people that I thought were my parents until earlier this afternoon and I from here on out. I nodded to my son and the darker haired officer took him out in the hallway.

"Okay, now you better start talkin.. What things came out tonight?"

… _Well that was a fast switch flip…_ I cleared my throat and I started to tell him everything that bitter old hag told me tonight and I finished with a very drained and flat, "And she seemed to really get a fucking kick out of letting me know that my birth family would most likely want nothing to do with me."

He didn't respond, he just looked at me, this intent and focused and thoughtful glare on his face. I grumbled and then asked finally, "Did you hear anything I just told you?"

"Enough to know why the hell ya reminded me of an ex girlfriend." he muttered finally as he wrote everything down, showed me and then asked, "You plannin on tellin' 'em?"

"I really don't know, okay? I mean the woman seemed to think that they wouldn't want anything to do with me. I was sort of thinking about just forgetting tonight happened." I admitted it quietly, a defeated shrug as he sat down on the edge of the bed, stared at his hands for a minute.

"Before.. your son was saying something about his daddy coming and then you cut him off.. Anything we need to know about?"

"Just that my asshole of an ex husband tried to kidnap him twice and both times, I put his ass into whatever ER we happened to be closest to and then went on the run. Trust me, officer.."

"Call me Logan."

"Trust me, officer.. I can handle myself, okay? I grew up in Montana with a daddy who loved to hunt and taught me how to shoot when I was about 5. I don't think I've really found anything much that scares me since… Until Troy.. And then that shit show tonight." I bit my lip as our eyes met again. He chuckled and stated with a smirk, "Too bad you didn't grow up with your real family.. Think I'd have rather met you first.. Your twin sister, she's, umm… She's nothing like you. She woulda cracked if something like what happened to you this afternoon happened to her… Or she used to be that way."

"When you have a kid, officer.. Everything changes." I mused as I fell silent, drawing my eyes to the re run of CSI playing instead of his dangerously inviting icy blue ones. And the entire time I did so, I reminded myself mentally, _'…. These little thoughts about his physical appearance… it's only because you haven't been laid in a really, really long time… you need to get a grip because this man looks like sexy, walking trouble. And those kinds of men are the reason you now have to deal with that asshole you stupidly married. Did that failure teach you nothing, Lena? Damn.'_

* * *

Laura

She raised a brow at the hour when she heard the door being knocked on. Thinking it was Lulu or Lucky, she slipped on a robe and stood, walking from the couch to the front door, peering out through the window right beside it.

No one was outside but it looked like a delivery truck was pulling away from the drive. "That's strange," she mumbled aloud, "I didn't order anything and I don't think Lulu or Lucky did either." she opened the door and bent, picking up the small square package and she should have thrown it away when she saw no sending address but parts of her were curious, so instead of throwing it away, she walked back into her living room, opening the package as she went.

She took the DVD out of the case and raised a brow at the date. Lulu's birthday?

Shrugging it off, she slid the DVD into the player and hit play and she froze in recoil when Helena's face filled the screen.

"I'd imagine you're wondering what on Earth I'm up to."

"Among other things… The main one is what sick joke do you have up your sleeve this time." Laura muttered quietly as she waited and finally, Helena started to tell a story. By the end of this story, Laura was gaping at the television set in wide eyed horror and seething with anger.. If Helena had really done everything she'd just admitted to?

The next time Laura got her hands on the woman she was dead where she stood. On autopilot, Laura picked up her phone and dialed the number of her former husband and Lulu's father, Luke. Luke picked up after about four rings and asked in a surprised tone, "Everything okay, Laura?"

"You need to come over now."

"What's wrong?"

"I'd really rather not get into it on the phone. Just come over, okay?" Laura hung up the phone and stopped the DVD just in time to see a special news bulletin and watch as the man her daughter Lulu tortured herself for years about because she thought she murdered him being sworn in as a police officer on the force at PCPD.

* * *

Lulu

She was flipping through television channels and waiting for Dante to get back from the graveyard shift at PCPD when she happened to stop on the local news. All the color drained from her face as she stared at the television set in confusion and anger and she felt for at least five minutes like she was having the mother of all panic attacks.

"I thought he was dead… I went through all that guilt.."

The door opened and she heard Dante calling her name. She glared as he came into view and nodded to the tv. "Why in the hell wouldn't you think to warn me about what was going on? I mean did it occur to you to say 'Oh and by the way, you didn't kill your ex? And he's back in Port Charles?" she asked, hurt evident in her tone.

She normally didn't mind when Dante tried to shelter her but right now, she was too upset to think straight. She'd spent all this time living with the guilt of having ended his life and grieving about it, especially after it was revealed that he wasn't the TMK and he'd been in the wrong place at the wrong time and here the son of a bitch was, alive and well.

"I didn't want this to happen. I knew you'd take it hard, babe."

"Don't you babe me." Lulu got up and went to get a glass of water, gripping the edge of the sink as the night she thought she killed Logan Hayes replayed slow motion in her mind. She felt Dante's arms slipping around her and she took a few deep breaths. This wasn't completely Dante's fault, but he could have warned him… Its not like Dante chose to have the guy show up in town again after all this time like a bad penny.

"You don't have to work with him, right?"

"Nah, he has his own partner."

"Who? It's not Nathan or Lucky, right?"

"Nope.. It's Diego Alcazar." Dante hurriedly sipped the bottled water in his wife's hands as her jaw dropped and she stammered for a few seconds and Dante explained, "They left the Bureau. Took a job here in town."

"How in the hell does a convict get into the Bureau?"

"My guess? Daddy's money. I'm thinkin Diego's dad bought his way in.. But he probably saved the guy's life."

"Cool motive.. Still a criminal. I thought Jordan wanted to get rid of the corruption, baby, not welcome it with open arms." Lulu hugged against Dante and wondered how Maxie was doing right now, if seeing Diego alive and well after the history he had with Georgie. Before she could even try to call her, Maxie was calling her, upset and shocked and swearing a mile a minute. "I swear to God my mother should have gotten mayor! This town is going to hell in a handbasket!"

"Dante seems to think they're both alright.. Yeah, I know.. Even after everything Logan put Dante through back then."

"And Diego?"

"Said that he's not the same guy anymore either.. Personally, I'm not holding my breath but it looks like we're about to see either way.. Hang on, Maxie, I'm getting a beep." Lulu switched calls and she raised a brow at the upset tone in her mother's voice.

"Whoa, wait… Slow down, mom."

"What's wrong, babe?" Dante asked, Lulu held up a finger and went back to pacing their kitchen and listening to what her mother said. When she hung up with both calls, she turned to look at Dante and then asked quietly, "Is tonight just a weird shit happens everywhere kind of night?"

"What's wrong?"

"Mom and dad want us to come over.. From the sound of it, it's something pretty big.. And apparently, our favorite person is involved..." Lulu frowned, not sure if she could handle any bad news, but she slid on her jacket and went to grab their son from his crib and waited on Dante to get his own jacket.

"She give you any idea what it was about?"

"Whatever it is, she's gotten our entire family together."

"Oh hell, this oughta be interesting." Dante mused as they walked down to the parking garage and got into their car.

* * *

FOOTNOTE:

 **Like with my previous 2 stories, if you want to know more about Lena then check out my user bio. And to learn more about this series in general, refer to my user bio also. Trust me, you'll thank me for telling you this, otherwise things could get really, really confusing.**

 **Obviously, these stories are all sort of connected, but not dependent on each other, and can be read as stand alones. I say that for anyone who might want to read one story and not the other or vice versa. In total, there will be 6, possibly 7 ( I haven't decided if I want to do one that keeps Rafe Jr alive or what to be honest) and it's sort of my own alternate universe? So yeahhhh.. This is the third book.**


	2. Chapter 2

TWO

* * *

Lena

2 Weeks Later

"Okay, kiddo, so what's the plan for Halloween this year?" I asked my son as we walked up and down row after row of costumes. Last year, Colton was going through a Star Wars phase and he'd went as a Storm Trooper. The year before, he'd went as a baseball player because money was tight and I thought that his old tee ball uniform would suffice.

This year? He's all about The Walking Dead, so when he spotted the Daryl Dixon costume, I quietly laughed to myself about it. And we turned the corner and promptly my cart bumped into the cart of Officer Erotic Hands, star of all my X rated fantasies as of late. He chuckled and I gave a polite nod.

"Any more brushes with Helena?"

"Thankfully, no. Got new locks on the doors and fixed all the windows.. You didn't have to send the security team down to install a security system though, but thank you.. I'm going to pay you back every single penny.." I told the guy and he shook his head, waving it off. "No need. Just doin' my job." the guy answered and I shook my head, insisting again that I was going to pay him back.

"What are you goin as for Halloween, little guy?" he asked my son and my son bit his lip and then tugged my shirt. "I think I wants to change my costume, momma."

"To what, Colton? We've been through every single aisle." I told my son patiently, and down he went, coming back seconds later with the military uniform. I raised a brow and Logan chuckled.

"We'll get them both.. Just in case you want to go as Daryl." I decided, curious what made my son change his mind and go back for the military costume when he'd been so set on being Daryl Dixon.. I mean his bike even looks like a motorcycle replica, he could have pulled it off easily. I didn't question it though, I mean kids, am I right? They change their minds so much.

"Actually, they do a thing at the town square every year for Halloween.. It ain't much, but there's candy.. He could wear 'em both." Logan spoke up and I eyed him, nodding. I'd seen the fliers for the carnival on the bulletin board at the school.. Right next to the fliers advertising the Nurses Ball.. Which is supposed to be a family event too.. And another teacher, Misty, she was trying to get me to go with Colton.. Supposedly, there is a surplus of single men.. I bit my lip.

"Hey Colton.. Do you want another costume, champ?" I asked and Colton's eyes lit up as he nodded. It couldn't hurt to get out and mingle more, get to know people in the town I've been living in for a few years now.

While Colton was looking at costumes within my eyesight, Logan asked casually if I was planning to go to the Nurses Ball, subtly adding in that this year, they'd opted to add a costume contest and scary story time for the kids.. Some woman, Obrecht, she was over all that.

"Actually, yeah. In the past few years, I haven't been able to do much for him.. Kind of want to make this Halloween special." I admitted and Logan gave a nod, smiling. "My partner, Diego.. His wife kinda talked me into goin. I wasn't gonna go."

"I wasn't either, one of the other teachers talked me into it and I literally just decided to go.." I admitted, not even sure why I felt the burning desire to tell Logan what I'd just said, going silent shortly after.

My son raced back over with a Kylo Ren costume and I shook my head as I told him, "That one is a little too expensive."

"Okay." Colton pouted, but he made his way back to the rack and came back a few minutes later and I had to laugh. "You're sure you wanna go as Michael Myers?"

"Mhmm."

"Okay, kiddo." I put the costume into our cart and Logan chuckled and then as we were making our way to the food section of the store, Logan stopped me by calling out, "That night.. I told ya my name.. ya never told me yours."

"It's Lena." I answered, giving a smile. He repeated it and if I thought my dreams were erotic? If I thought his hands on my body the night of my ordeal were erotic? Nothing was like the way he said my name.. I actually bit down on my lip.

"I'll see you around, Lena."

"Likewise, Logan." I told him, smiling as we made our way to the food area in the store.

Colton explained it then, why he wanted to be a military person. Apparently, Logan was telling my son stories about his time in Iraq, the milder and funnier things, to keep him calm while they were bringing him to me that night while I was in Benson Hurst General.

And apparently, Colton thought it was a neat costume. And he considered the man a friend… Because to quote him, "He didn't let me be scared."

I turned another aisle and for a few seconds, it was weird, the feeling of deja vu that washed over me when I saw the older blonde woman picking up plums. I'd seen her somewhere before, I was almost sure of it.

It hit me when we were a few feet away from her.. The video that creepy fucking old woman made me watch that night.. The woman she claimed was my birth mother.

The woman looked up and right at my son and I as Colton tried to eat grapes right out of the packaging and I literally froze, forgetting to scold my son in the whole surreal few seconds. The man made his way over to her, they were laughing and smiling..

He wasn't the man who'd been in the nursery with the babies on the video.

She looked like she wanted to say something, things felt awkward, so I hurriedly let Colton pick out a few peaches for the peach cobbler I was going to bake us later that night and then I made my way down the frozen food aisle, trying my best to put the whole thing out of my mind.

The woman said it that night.. My birth family wasn't ever going to want anything to do with me. And I needed to accept that.

* * *

Laura

As the young woman and her son stood talking to Logan Hayes, Laura couldn't help but watch. Kevin commented on it a time or two, trying to get her to walk over, but Laura wasn't sure what to say if she were to walk over, so she hadn't.

By now, Kevin knew the situation and Laura was currently waiting on DNA to come back to prove Helena's story as truth or false, some sick joke to hurt Laura and her family one last time. Rumor had it that Helena was really sick and weak lately, that's what Luke claimed… She wasn't going to live much longer. It wasn't entirely impossible that Helena would pull this to hurt them all one last time when it turned out to be false.

"Luke would have a heart attack right now." Laura mused to herself while Kevin was gone to pick them up a few sides for their meal that night, and then she got a close up view of her grandson.. he gave a crooked grin that looked so much like Luke's miniature that for a second, Laura was seeing Lucky at the age of 5 over again because Lucky's smile had been exactly like the one the little boy gave.

He was sneakily popping white grapes into his mouth and Laura laughed to herself.. That was something Lulu had always done as a child on family grocery trips. And then her eyes met with the eyes of her potential daughter and both women sort of froze a few seconds. It took everything in Laura not to walk over and say something and from the looks of it, the young woman was also struggling with the urge too.

When she'd finally gotten the guts to do it, under Kevin's gentle persuasion, the girl and her son were gone. She frowned to herself and made her way to the checkout with their food. She hoped they found out something DNA wise soon because the wait was really getting to her.

* * *

Logan

I wasn't expecting to bump into Lena and her son again that night, but I did about an hour later at the Pizza Shack. I'd been grabbing something quick on my way back home. The little boy saw me and bolted over, talking a mile a minute. And then a panicked Lena was calling his name, scolding him in concern when she got to where I was sitting.

"You can't just do that, Colt!"

"But Momma!"

"Your mom's right, kiddo." I spoke up, a firm voice I'd heard Diego use on my god daughter Sage a time or two, usually when it's night and she wants to play instead of sleeping. It worked on Colton and he nodded and then said "Sorry, momma."

"You guys wanna sit down and keep me company?"

Lena sat down with her son and I happened to look up and over, groaning when I saw my father walking into the pizza parlor. Her eyes followed mine and I explained simply, "My dad."

"Oh."

"We get along okay, just he's a little pissed at me for takin the job Chief Ashford offered. He didn't want me to come back here when I got away." Logan took a bite of his pizza and the man came over, sitting down.

"Fancy seeing you here, son."

"One hell of a coincidence, I guess." I muttered dryly, but then my father nodded to Lena and Colton and I explained, "This is the woman Helena roofied after breaking into her house." and then my father eyed Lena warily. I nudged him under the table and grumbled but my dad spoke up and naturally, he spoke his mind.

"Looks an awful lot like Lulu, son."

"Dad.."

"Well, that old" Lena covered her son's ears before continuing, "Bitch who broke into my house did claim that I was her fraternal twin."

My father gaped and I coughed. Probably the first time somebody's ever been as blunt as he is with them right back outside of me or my half brother Franco or my half sister Serena. He definitely wasn't used to it.

"They know any of this?"

"Nope.. and if it's all the same to you sir, not entirely sure I'm gonna tell them, either. I mean the woman lead me to believe if I did, they weren't going to want anything to do with me anyway and it's not like I had a bad childhood.. far as I'm concerned? It's just a weird story that I know and never have to talk about." Lena admitted as she added, "There is something you can do for me, sir."

"What?"

"Convince your stubborn ass of a son to let me repay him for the security system he had put in at my cabin.. Because he's determined not to."

My father eyed me and I groaned internally.. Oh yeah, I could sense it.. the mother of all nagging fits later.. Because see, I know my dad and I know him well enough to know that just because she's related to Lulu, he's already written her off.

"What she's not sayin, dad, is that she wasn't even the one who called the cops to get help for herself.. Instead, she got her son and his sitter out and the sitter called. So yeah, she needs a panic button."

"I'm capable of handling me, Logan."

"You got roofied by an old woman, woman."

"If that jerk she had with her hadn't taken me for my gun, it would not have happened.. Hell, if I'd shot first and asked questions later, none of it would've happened." Lena mused as they carried over the half canadian bacon and pineapple cheese and half four cheese pizza she ordered. I eyed it and then her.

"Pineapples.. on pizza?"

"Mhmm. Don't knock it until you try it, Logan."

"No thanks.. it's all the same to you, I'll stick to my pepperoni."

My father looked from me to Lena and then back again and he stood, shaking his head as he walked up to the counter to pick up his own order. Lena asked with a soft laugh, "Well that wasn't awkward, was it? I'm gonna take it that your father did not like my twin sister.."

"Loathed her."

"And now the weird look he gave me makes sense. Lighten up on the guy, Logan.. Family is pretty much all you have." she told me as she and Colton stood, getting ready to leave. I smirked and then pointed out, "Maybe it wouldn't be so bad… telling them who you are. I mean you never know.. And your brother is an agent too.. he could get that jerk of an ex off your tail so you and the little guy don't have to pick up and run in the middle of the night."

"Or it could be a complete disaster, Logan. I'll see you around."

"Lookin forward to it, Lena."

* * *

FOOTNOTE:

As previously stated, if you want to know more about Lena, go to my user bio on here and read her bio sheet. Actually, everything pertaining to this whole series is on there and I've done a little tweaking and updating to some things, so it's probably a good idea to just read everything.

Obviously, this chapter is more or less Laura and Lena running into each other after Helena's told them both. I'm gonna have her running into her family more. Also, there was flirting with Logan and an appearance by Logan's father because obviously, these two are gonna have their hands full with their families loaded past ties and potentially fathers butting in.. Decided there will be a Nurses Ball and a carnival too. :)

Thank you so much for the review, mariposa101 and the two faves and three follows! I love everyone who takes the time to review or to favorite and follow my work because it means so much to me that people are not only reading these things, they're actually finding them interesting!


	3. Chapter 3

THREE

* * *

THREE

Lena

I spent the entire day feeling on edge; kind of like I was being followed. I had no reason to feel that way, but earlier, in the teacher's lounge, one of my co workers revealed that this new 'killer' has apparently stopped just picking off strippers and hookers and was now picking brunette women at random.

They'd found Joanna, one of the pre K teachers strangled and dumped just outside of town this morning. The whole town was now officially in an uproar because there was now no way in hell that the murders were coincidence. I've never felt more lucky to be blonde than I did currently, because just based on victimology, I was in the clear.

Or that's what I thought until I looked out the window of my classroom and for a split second, I thought I saw someone standing at the edge of the woods surrounding the cemetery and next to the park across the road. My heart sped up, my throat closed up and I snapped the blinds to my classroom shut so quickly that at least two of the kids napping nearby woke up for a few seconds. I sat down at my desk and tried to get myself together.

When my cell phone went off, I debated heavily for a split second on actually looking at it. When I finally did gather the courage required, ( which in itself was silly, I mean I've lived through several attempts on my life at the hands of my ex husband and I barged right into a home invasion recently, and now a text was going to scare me? ) I raised a brow and wondered for a few seconds how Officer Logan Hayes had gotten my number and what he was doing texting me.

TEXT: Color me shocked, Officer.

TEXT: So, what do I owe this pleasure?

TEXT: Guessing Diego couldn't give you a worthy argument?

I sat the phone down and let my heart climb down out of my throat.. What I didn't realize was that in a few seconds, it was going to climb right back up there.

My phone vibrated against the table, indicating text responses, I had it set on vibrate so it wasn't going off while I was in the classroom.

TEXT: As cute as that is, hon..

TEXT: This is business.. Don't panic, okay?

TEXT: I am sitting in front of your cabin right now.. Somebody hacked the security system, broke in and.. It's bad, Lena.. real bad. Colton's a smart kid, he called for help..

TEXT: Is there any way you can get a substitute and come home?

I thought I'd calmed down from my scare a few seconds ago, but damned if I wasn't freaking out all over again. My babysitter is brunette, she lives alone and she's around the same age as the previous victims have been.. But my main concern was Colton..

TEXT: On my way!

TEXT: Colton's alright, right? Oh god, he didn't… See anything?

TEXT: Please just stay with him.. He trusts you, Logan and that's hard for him to do with anyone, especially men.

TEXT: I'll be there in 10. 5 if I haul ass.

I stood and pressed the intercom that connected to the office and got the secretary to walk down so I could explain the situation and she agreed to sit in on my class. And as soon as I was down on the lower level of the school and close to the double doors leading out of the building, I broke into a run, taking off my heels, and sitting down in my car so fast that I bumped my head a little on the door frame. I think I spun wildly out of the parking lot but at that point, I honestly didn't care.

All I cared about was getting to my son and making sure he was okay, finding out what the hell had happened.

It seemed like the drive to my house took forever, but it only took 5 and a half minutes and I was pulling into my driveway and Logan was jogging over, my son in his arms. I took a crying and upset Colton and Logan said quietly, "He heard us shooting at the intruder. Bastard hit the woods and got away.. But he left something behind."

I grimaced as the black bodybag was lead past me and Logan almost on instinct pulled my head down by pulling me against him. "You don't wanna see that. Just like you don't wanna go inside."

Colton was upset.. He spent a good chunk of his afternoons with Aria and she was like family to us. She was honestly the only family we had given the tense situation between my adoptive parents and I right now because of my recent discovery that they'd lied to me for my entire life about who I was.

I was upset too, but below the upset and the grief and sadness, there was anger there too. I swear to God, if I find out this is Troy ambushing us and has nothing to do with the killer on the loose lately, I will kill Troy with my own bare hands.

I'm sick of living in fear.

"Was it..." I couldn't even say it and parts of me knew the answer already.. And I was horrified by it.. If it was Troy like I was afraid of, that meant he'd crossed the line and he was now officially the scary kind of crazy and not the mildly harmful but otherwise useless kind.

"Doesn't fit our killer's MO." Logan confirmed what I already knew deep down and I bit my lip as I asked Colton carefully, "When the man broke in, champ.. Did he sound like Daddy?"

"And he was scary.. Momma, he was singin this crazy song the whole time. I scart.. But I don't wanna leave here."

"I know, baby. I know.. But we might have to."

"Actually.." Logan spoke up and then eyed me and Colton as he continued to speak, "You guys can stay with me. My cabin's not far."

"And you think you'll stop Troy how?" I scoffed.

Logan smirked and shrugged as he muttered quietly, "Bein interested in somebody is one hell of a motivator, apparently. Not to mention, I got actual weapons there."

"Yeah? Well he's snapped now. It's not worth getting yourself killed." I tried to argue, but from behind him, a brother in law who had little to no clue who I was ( assuming the old woman's story from the night the truth came out wasn't bullshit, of course) spoke up and informed me, "You're a part of the investigation so you can't just pick up and leave.. besides, running is the last thing you want to do. Listen to the guy, ma'am. Matter of fact, I'm putting you two into Officer Hayes protective custody until we catch whoever did this."

I grumbled but in the end, I can't argue with the police.

This was certainly going to be one hell of a situation. And I hated being stuck, bringing someone else into my own personal nightmare.. But to keep my son safe, I had to actually attempt to trust Logan.. This was going to be a hard thing for me to do.

I wiped at my eyes and the events of the day got to me, the emotional roller coaster and I vomited in the garbage bin at my curbside. What surprised me was Logan's reaction, the way he quickly grabbed hold of my hair so it didn't swing down into the path of my vomit.

"If you need clothes or anything out of the house, Lena.. think you can manage going in to get 'em? It's bad. It happened between your sun porch and the kitchen.. Makes us think whoever it was was comin in the back way.. When they hacked in, it sent an alert to the station. I gotta remember to thank Spinelli for putting that into the program." Logan was looking at me as if I were going to break or something and I bit my lip and looked at the house.

"Think you can get one of the men to shut the door leading into the kitchen?" I asked quietly. Logan gave a nod and whistled, one of the rookies on the Forensics team came jogging over and Logan told him to go in, shut the door between the kitchen and the living room so we couldn't see into it. And then he walked in with me, helping me gather clothes and my shower stuff and a few toys for Colton.

It felt comforting this time, when he was leading me back down the stairs and his hand came to rest across my lower back and not just erotic like his hands on me had last time. I think I was still in shock that something like this happened.

I was pissed too. I felt powerless and weak, it had to have been Troy… Only he'd break in while I was gone to work and he knew that Colton was most likely alone with a sitter.. It was bothering me though… Why show up now?

We hadn't heard from him or been threatened by him in almost two years now.

Luke

Rarely did Luke ever touch the tv set on the Haunted Star. Mostly when he came in, it was to restock the bar and set up for a poker tournament that Johnny and Ethan had began hosting every third Thursday of every month.

Today was inventory day.

If Ethan hadn't been there, the television wouldn't have been on.. But the second Luke saw the blonde from Helena's little 'video' montage a few weeks prior, he couldn't explain it, he just.. froze.. And he gaped at the television.

By now all the kids knew that there was a huge chance that Lena was Lulu's fraternal twin and they were only waiting for DNA to come back to prove it wrong or true. Luke growled as soon as he saw the no good bum son of Scott Baldwin, his longtime enemy, hovering around Lena. The kid seemed to do that a lot lately.

"What the hell happened?" Luke was trying to hear and Ethan turned up the television set, gaping in shock as the reporter went on to explain what occurred at Lena's house. Almost as soon as the bulletin was over, Luke was on the phone with Lucky.

And then, he was about to call Laura, but she'd called him instead. Luke picked up the phone and stepped out onto the deck of the Star, trying to calm down Laura and Lulu who'd just talked to Dante and found out exactly what PCPD thought happened at Lena's cabin that afternoon.

"And this Troy asshole.. He's the ex husband, right?" Luke shook his head as Lulu told him everything Dante found on Lena's ex husband.

"I'm gonna call the damn lab. We need to know if Lena's our kid or not, Laura.. that way maybe we can figure something out."

"The important thing is she's safe and Colton is safe. Thank God he went and hid and called PCPD." Laura told Luke, groaning internally, she could practically hear the wheels turn in his mind and she knew that most likely, his attempt to 'fix' the situation would involve something illegal and shady.

Or something that put everyone involved in danger.

She hung up and then the lab doing their DNA test called stating that the results were ready.

"I'll be down to pick them up in a few minutes."

Logan

We pulled to a stop in front of my cabin just as it was starting to get dark. Colton started to nod off about halfway into the drive back out to the lakes and mostly, it'd been quiet in the car. Lena really wasn't saying much, but then hell, I can tell she's freaked out right now.

And I don't blame her.

"It's gonna be okay, Lena."

"Somehow, Logan, I have this feeling that no, it won't this time.. I should have kept moving around. I shouldn't have settled. I shouldn't have stupidly thought that after the last time he tried taking our son that he was done and he'd magically just stop popping up.. And now he's lost his fucking mind apparently."

I'd tried to keep 'em from seeing the bloody mess, but we hadn't realized that the guy was on his way up the stairs, probably to find Colton and get him out when we'd shown up and stormed the house earlier.. There had been bloody handprints going up the stairs.

Lena was pale for at least an hour after that.

"Running ain't the only answer."

"It's the only logical one I have, Logan.. This asshole shows up here and he does this to Aria.. I mean before now, he was.. Just your garden variety abusive prick with a drinking problem.. To see what he's capable of.. And he'll do it to anyone in his way, Logan.." Lena shook her head, went back to staring out the window.

"Darlin, you don't know what I'm capable of, either.. Not to mention, I was a sniper. Pretty damn good one too." I was shrugging and acting like it wasn't a big thing, mostly to keep Lena from really freaking out and doing something stupid like picking up and running during the night.

I can't explain why I involved myself other than to say that I just know that I'm supposed to do this. She doesn't have anyone else to do it, and I just feel this pull to her. I've been trying like hell to ignore the pull, because of that whole fiasco with Lulu, but I can't anymore. And I really can't now, knowing she might be in danger.

"Sniper or not, Logan, all it takes is one slip up and then he'll do.. Whatever that was he did to Aria earlier, to you.. I don't want that. I didn't want it to happen to Aria. If I'd known it was going to, I'd have fired her, found some way to take Colton to work with me every day. I should have done that.. Why didn't I just do that?" I heard her sniffling as she spoke and I tried to think of something to say.

I'm not really good with words, I'm even less good at dealing with emotional women. Surprisingly though, I figured out some way to half ass attempt comforting Lena. We'd parked in my driveway and I got out, grabbing their bags, waking Colton up.

Then I went around and helped Lena get out of the car. She's drained right now, I can tell. Pretty much the only thing I knew how to do was just stand there with my arms around her and let her cry? And even doing that was kind of killing me.

If I see this Troy asshole anytime soon, if it is him to begin with that broke in on Colton and his sitter today, he's dead. I hope that if it's the killer, he hurries and slips up and we can get this bastard behind bars where he belongs.

Laura & Luke; Kevin, Lulu, Lucky, Ethan, Kristina and Dante

The results of the DNA test were finally in and they sat quietly in the waiting room until the lab released them to Laura. When she had the envelope into her hand, she tore into it and blinked, checked once and then again just to be sure.

"Well?"

"Yeah, what's going on?"

"Mom?"

"Lena is our daughter.. I don't know how I thought these would come back any other way but this one.." Laura managed to say the words out loud and Luke stood, heading for a door. "Dad, leave them alone."

"No way in hell is any daughter of mine staying under a damn roof with that incompetent jackass offspring of Baldwin's. She's got a family to help her now."

"Luke, you can't just go over there, banging on the door at night and dumping this on her. We need to figure out some way to approach her. Helena probably told her God knows what about us, I wouldn't put it past the woman. We can't do this wrong because if we do, we alienate our daughter."

"Laura's right." Kevin agreed quickly as Lucky nodded and then added, "Besides, she's had a lot happen today."

"That's all the more reason to get her the hell out of that asshole's sight! That's how he'll get his damn hooks in! I can get her and Colton and take them somewhere for a while, just until we find this bastard she calls an ex husband."

"Luke, no."

"Dad, running isn't a good idea right now. If he is after her, it'll take him so much less time to find her if she's running. And then he can get a hold of Colton. And this time police won't actually be able to get him back home safely." Lulu tried to explain. Eventually, Luke settled down and then Laura asked if anyone had any idea how to tell Lena what they now knew to be the truth.

"Maybe we should just tell her."

"That's the only way I can think of too.. I mean she might not even know."

"Logan said she knows.. Thinks that all of ya think she's dead or that ya basically just gave her to the couple in Montana that adopted her. She's not real sure what she feels about it, but she's not intending on saying anything to you all first." Dante spoke up and Lucky nodded. He'd heard Logan talking about it too, the surprising thing was that he'd heard Logan saying out of his own mouth that maybe Lena telling them who she was and trying to explain the situation wasn't a bad idea.

But Lena seemed to think it was doomed to fail.

"We'll give her a few days and then we'll tell her."

"That's actually a good idea."

"She better not even think about fallin in with that damn Hayes." Luke grumbled, Laura groaning internally. She could already see that Luke was going to be a handful if he even thought Logan and Lena were getting close.

* * *

FOOTNOTE:

As previously stated, if you want to know more about Lena, go to my user bio on here and read her bio sheet. Actually, everything pertaining to this whole series is on there and I've done a little tweaking and updating to some things, so it's probably a good idea to just read everything.

This chapter is kind of gory, though I deliberately didn't go into too much detail about Aria's murder. I didn't want to make anybody squeamish. It's Logan kind of stepping up and taking Lena and Colton in since for the moment they assume it's Troy who's behind Aria's murder ( is it or isn't it? who knows haha ) and it's Laura and Luke and the family finding out the truth, finding out Lena is their daughter/sister.

Thank you so much for the review, mariposa101 and the two faves and four follows! I love everyone who takes the time to review or to favorite and follow my work because it means so much to me that people are not only reading these things, they're actually finding them interesting!


	4. Chapter 4

FOUR

* * *

A Week Later

Logan

The smell of actual food cooking – _and possibly burning just a little_ , when I stepped into my cabin had me raising a brow. Lena was swearing at the oven and Colton was snickering a little to himself about it.

"I told her it was on boil." Colton grumbled as Lena peeked in and asked sheepishly, "So, umm.. You have the numbers to anywhere that sells edible food.. Right?" with a hopeful look in her eyes.

I opened the windows in the living room to get some of the smoke out and chuckling, I turned and told her, "Ya didn't have to do that. Didn't have to clean up either.."

"You couldn't see the table in front of the couch for the case files, the half empty pizza and takeout boxes on top of it, Logan, so yeah.. I did." Lena bit her lip. I felt her body brush against mine and I realized that we were doing it again, migrating towards each other. Chuckling, I asked her what she'd been trying to cook.

"I thought I was baking chicken, but.."

"They look like charcoal!" Colton burst in, making me laugh.

"I gotta see this." my eyes were fixed on her eyes right now and she gave a playful glare, muttering something under her breath.. Pretty sure she just said 'Fuck you' because she won't swear out loud when Colton's underfoot. Which I think is cute, honestly. Before I could stop myself from blurting out a flirty and sort of inappropriate response to what she'd said under her breath, I'd done it anyway. I leaned in closer and muttered against her ear, "Careful what you wish for, darlin… Because it's taken one hell of a lot of willpower just keepin my hands off."

Lena stared up at me a few seconds, licking her lips, her skin a bright shade of red and she mumbled something else that I picked up on, something to the effect of her agreeing with what I'd boldly blurted out just a few seconds before.

Before I could say or do anything else, Colton was in the room again and we sprang apart like two teenagers who just got walked in on by their parents, me coughing and Lena fidgeting a little bit.

"You.. Order barbecue… I'll go get the pumpkins."

"Pumpkins?" I asked, mostly still focused intently on the whole moment we just had, thinking that if I needed any indication about how she felt too, I'd definitely just gotten it because she was about a subtle as a sledgehammer on a good day.

"Yes.. Colton always carves pumpkins the night that The Great Pumpkin comes on tv. Can't break tradition." Lena explained before disappearing into the kitchen, leaving me reeling from what she just admitted. When the shock wore off, I called one of the barbecue restaurants in town that delivered and then I made my way into the kitchen, leaning in the doorway, watching them.

"Do you wanna helps us?" Colton asked when he looked up from tracing a design into the pumpkin in front of him. I nodded and walked over, taking a beer out of my refridgerator and sitting down. "What are we carving?"

"Momma said the letters of our first names." Colton shoved a big pumpkin in front of me that had an L traced into it. Lena looked over at me a few seconds and winked before dropping her gaze. I started to hollow out the L and when I heard the glass shattering in the living room window, my cops instincts kicked in and I grabbed Lena and Colton and pulled them to the floor before they even knew what was happening.

"I need you to take Colton and go up, hide in my room and call the station." I rolled to face Lena, whispering as quietly as I could as things crashed to the ground in the next room and a man opened and slammed doors, shouting Lena and Colton's name.

"Logan, no! You come too! There's no shame in.."

"Woman, go. I have no time to argue right now.. GO!" I snapped and Lena took Colton upstairs through the stairs in the kitchen.

I found the breaker box in the hallway and flipped out all the lights. Raising my gun, I made my way into the darkened living room. The guy was staggering, he reeked of alcohol.. And he was humming and stomping around, opening and closing doors, calling Lena and Colton's name.

A smirk filled my face as I got the jump on him and pressed the gun to the back of his head.

"I'm guessin you're here for Lena."

" Here to kill that bitch and take my boy home where he belongs."

"You really think so, huh?" I had the guy pinned face against the wall, gun pressed at the back of his head. "See, that's where you and me have a slight difference of opinion, Troy.. That's your name, right? See, I think you're gonna go to prison for a real long time..Murder is kinda frowned upon. And there's no way in hell I'm gonna just stand here and let you near either one of 'em."

It surprised me when the guy got out of the hold and we were rolling on the floor of my living room fighting, but I managed to get the upper hand for a while. When he managed to get up, get a hold of my other gun, I didn't think, I just reacted. "I d-didn't kill nobody. Gonna kill L-lena though.. L-little bitch is k-keeping my son f-from me." he snickered as if talking about killing her was something funny and that really pissed me off and that's when I lost it on the guy, lunging and taking him down, making us both roll down the three stairs he'd gotten up in his quest to go upstairs and try to hurt Lena. I was punching him in the face and snarling and we were shoving each other around the living room, punching and knocking things over in our path.

The sirens were blaring outside when Dante and Diego kicked the door to the house in and dragged me and the son of a bitch apart and I was still trying to strangle the guy. Dante got me to the side for a recount of what happened and Diego and Lucky practically threw Troy into the back of the squad car.

"There might be a problem, man.."

"Huh?" I asked Dante.

"The prints at Lena's from the day Aria was murdered don't match the prints we got from Nevada PD for Troy there.. So we can't hold him on that.. But we'll figure something out." Dante explained as I nodded.

"So if Troy didn't flip his shit and kill the sitter, Falconeri, who did?"

"They matched the prints from an old murder case."

"Here?"

"Mhmm. Bring Lena and Colton and come down to the station so we can get papers against this son of a bitch." Dante told me and I nodded, gripping the back of the sofa, willing my heart down out of my throat because damned if my adrenaline wasn't still at an all time high..

Lena and Colton were coming back down the stairs now and to my surprise, Lena was climbing my body and pulling me into a kiss that I think bruised my lips when Lucky cleared his throat from the door.

"Bring her to the station, Logan." Lucky was giving me the look that a very overprotective older brother gives a guy who's dating his sister.. It was the look I'd gotten almost the entirety of my relationship with Lulu.

Colton was still shaken up, but he did snicker a little and go "Eww." when I sat Lena down on the back of the couch and kissed her back.. Did I mention that it's pretty much taken all the willpower I have not to make some kind of move?

Because tonight all that willpower **vanished**.

* * *

Lena

"Momma, what if he needs help!" Colton hissed at me as I dialed 911 from the closet we were hidden inside in Logan's room. I held a finger to my lips and hissed the situation to the dispatch officer and after they told me that dispatch was sending someone, I grimaced.

It sounded like they were down there destroying the living room. I could hear swearing and punches being thrown, guns being fired and glass breaking and every single instance had me grimacing. This was my fault. If I hadn't ran, if I hadn't let myself get settled into life here, let myself get lulled into a false sense of security… 'Damn it, PCPD, what's taking so long?' I found myself wondering, relieved when I finally heard the sirens coming down the road.

I heard the front door bursting open downstairs and Colton was up and running. I caught him on the landing and picked him up, keeping his face hidden. Then I didn't think, I just ran down and I ran straight for Logan.

Every single ounce of resolve I'd been using to resist him flew out the window as I climbed into his arms after sitting Colton on the back of the sofa right next to us and I pulled Logan into a kiss, nipping hungrily at his lips.

"You should have hidden too, you stubborn ass."

"I'm fine, blondie."

"You're dripping blood on the floor, Logan, I beg to differ." I mumbled against his lips as his fingers tangled in my hair and the kiss deepened, Logan putting an arm around Colton too, to pull him closer, sitting me on the back of the couch.

One of the cops, – and a man I suspect might be my brother, cleared his throat from the doorway and told Logan to get Colton and I to the station.

"Oh trust me, we're leaving right now.. Just as soon as I patch somebody up." I gave Logan a pout as he shook his head and shrugged off the few injuries as if they were nothing, as if what he'd done was nothing.

It was everything to me and to my son, Colton.

I wish I had a rewind button, I really do.. I would give anything to go back, to meet Logan before I ever met Troy.. I've even caught myself wondering sometimes lately, what my life would be like if I did have a rewind button and I'd come to town years ago and met Logan then.

The cops left and I slid off the back of the couch and grabbed his hand after picking up Colton, just wanting to feel my son in my arms and know that he was safe, know that Troy hadn't gotten hold of him a third time. I was dragging Logan into the kitchen and patching him up.

"So.. about that kiss, Blondie.."

"That was something I've wanted to do a lot lately." I bit my lip, grimacing as I worked on pouring antiseptic into his busted lower lip. His hand wrapped around mine, lowering it, moving it out of the way of his lips. "Me too." he admitted quietly.

Colton held out a bag of frozen peas for Logan's eye and said quietly, "I wish I could swap daddies sometimes."

"You do, huh?" Logan asked and I think it shocked him when Colton nodded and then hugged him and said that he'd most likely pick him because he was cool and funny and he didn't let him be scared when scary things happened.

And I sat there feeling like the biggest fuck up of a mother because I'm the reason Colton is now stuck with an asshole like Troy as a father and we're in this bizarre situation we're in. Logan pulled me into another kiss and told me quietly, " I know you're blaming yourself. You didn't know the guy was gonna be a twenty on the crazy scale."

"Yeah, well.."

"Yeah, nothing, okay woman? Look, you got away from the guy. That means more than avoiding the whole thing in the first place. It's called a mistake. People make 'em every day. But not a lot of people get away from situations like the one you're in."

"And they don't drag innocent people into them, either."

"I can handle me, got it? I'm in this, Lena, because I wanted to be.. Because I saw ya that night we had to come out because Helena broke in and I made up my mind then.. I had to get to know ya better." Logan was holding me closer, he'd picked up Colton and he said calmly, "We're going to the station to file papers.. Then we'll get something to eat from Kelly's."

All I could do was nod.

But in the back of my mind I was wondering.. Should I have ran instead of settling in?

Because now innocent people were suffering because of my sticking around.

* * *

FOOTNOTE:

As previously stated, if you want to know more about Lena, go to my user bio on here and read her bio sheet. Actually, everything pertaining to this whole series is on there and I've done a little tweaking and updating to some things, so it's probably a good idea to just read everything.

And it's out now.. Troy didn't break in and kill Aria in the last chapter.. Was it the murderer? Or was it somebody else entirely? And when will Laura and Luke tell Lena what they know? Also, kissing happens in this chapter. I was in an action type mood today, so yeah, I wrote an action filled chapter, haha.

Thank you so much for the review, mariposa101 and the two faves and four follows! I love everyone who takes the time to review or to favorite and follow my work because it means so much to me that people are not only reading these things, they're actually finding them interesting!


	5. Chapter 5

Five

* * *

Logan

Halloween Night

I coughed from the doorway and immediately felt like an asshole when she jumped a foot in the air. "Sorry." I nodded to her costume and asked with a smirk, "Goin somewhere?"

"I told Colton we were going to the Halloween carnival in town tonight."

"I don't think that's a good idea, hon.." I faltered because damn it, I was distracted by the way the bright red velvet dress fit her like a second skin, the way the red wig seemed to make her eyes glow brighter, hell, everything. "What are you supposed to be anyway?"

"Well...Depends, really." Lena answered, slinking slowly towards me. As her arms slid around my neck, I bit back a low growl and asked "On what?"

"On whether you've seen the movie or not."

"What movie?"

"Jesus, Logan.. Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" Lena muttered as I chuckled and shook my head no. She laughed and then nodded to a garment bag on the bed. "So we'll go with plan B."

"Which is?" I asked, pouting when she shrank back from the kiss I'd been about to give her to answer my question, " Open the bag."

"Okay, but first.." my hands slid down her sides, resting at her hips, gripping lightly. She moaned a little and bit her lip, sucking in a sharp breath as I pulled her against me and then nipped at her lips. "I have this feeling, Logan.. I'm gonna get used to that." Lena mumbled against my lips as she rubbed against me and I groaned.

Every part of me wanted to shut the bedroom door and rip the red second skin dress off of her but I knew better than to rush into everything. We'd probably rushed through a lot already by most peoples standards.

I **wanted** to actually get things right this time. And Lena had been through hell, she deserved things done the right way.. But damn I wanted her.

"Me too." I admitted, words breathless and muttered in a hushed tone against her lips. "We should probably get goin.. Town curfew and all that." I hated to bring things to a halt, oh man did I hate it, but… I wanna do things right this time.

She pouted but nodded and did that lip biting thing.

Colton knocked on the door and called through it, "Can we go now? I don't wanna miss all the good candies!" and I chuckled. "We're almost ready now." Lena called out, pressing against me again as she shoved the black bag into my hands and nodded to the bathroom. I took the bag and eyed it warily but went into the bathroom, changing.

About halfway through, I looked up to see her standing there in the bathroom doorway, waiting. I smirked and she bit her lip, walking towards me, stopping in front of me to tie the tie that went to the costume. "So.. what am I supposed to be, darlin? Some kinda mobster?"

"Nope."

"Kinda looks like it."

"You're a detective."

"Oh." I answered, my eyes getting sucked into hers then zeroing on her lips. Colton's knocking again made us both spring apart and Lena called out, "We're leaving now, kiddo." to which Colton grumbled something that sounded like, "Finally!"

I chuckled. "So we ready?"

"Mhmm." Lena purred, stealing another kiss as she opened the door to the bedroom. I gotta admit, I had to stand there at least ten seconds composing myself and finally, I grabbed my keys and my badge and my gun, and made my way downstairs, meeting the two of them at the foot of the stairs.

* * *

Lena

Despite all outward appearances, I was definitely having to work hard at composing myself. Have you ever just felt this pull to somebody so strong that no matter what you tried you couldn't keep your hands to yourself?

That would be me lately.

"We're probably gonna be better off parking over by Kelly's. Which means," Logan cut into my thoughts, "we can get Colton something real to eat so he's not just cramming sugar on an empty stomach." and I laughed softly as I looked over and remarked, "You mean like the night you bought him to me in the hospital hopped up on sugar, right?"

"Mhmm. Plus, I've seen what candy does to kids. My partner's daughter, she's 3 and when she eats a lot of candy we'll just put it this way, darlin.. I wish I had her energy." Logan chuckled and pulled the car into a parking spot next to a black SUV. And as soon as I saw who was standing by that black SUV, I bit my lip. I've figured one thing out lately and that is this… It's hard, sitting on the knowledge that my real family might just be living right here in the same town as me and for whatever reason, they might not want my son and I to be part of their family. I want to say something every single time I see one or more of them out in public but I've managed not to so far.

Logan grumbled and as soon as I saw his father, I knew why. I gave his hand a squeeze and then told him quietly, "He's just gonna have to deal with this."

"But first, Lena, he'll make us both fucking miserable complaining about it." Logan pulled my hand up to his lips and brushed his lips over the back of it.

We got out of the car and no sooner than we had, it happened..

* * *

Laura & Kevin, Scott, Luke / Logan & Lena, Colton

"Don't you dare go over there starting chaos, Luke! I mean it." Laura grumbled but as soon as Luke saw Logan and their daughter Lena getting out with her son Colton, there he went, heading over, Scott hot on his tail, both men fighting about how their kids deserved better than each other's offspring. Laura and Kevin caught up to the two men just as the whole thing got started really good.

"That guy's a bum."

"Yeah, well, Spencer… Your daughter's almost gotten my son in over his head."

"The two of ya barely know each other and you're gonna just shack up with the guy, Lena? You need to stay with your mother.. hell, if you need a place to stay, come and stay in the back room at the Haunted Star, kid… No daughter of mine is gonna shack up with that..."

"That what, old man?" Logan asked, stiff all over, defensive. To some degree, Luke's meddling had been one of the many coffin nails with him and Lulu years ago, so he was worried that Lena might see the light and get away from him. To his surprise, Lena got between the two and Colton grumbled as he mused aloud, "Okay, momma, I'm coverin my ears now." and Logan snickered a little but kept a good grip on her hips so she couldn't go wildcat on him and actually get into her father's face. Despite all previous encounters, Logan did actually want Lena to get to know her birth family and he wasn't trying to interfere in it.

"First of all, sir, all due respect… I was told that my birth family wanted nothing to do with me? And here you are, trying to what, exactly? You just storm over here, no introduction and start telling me who I can and can't 'shack up with?'"

Logan was slipping his arms around Lena and trying not to laugh, though anyone could look at him and see the amused look in his eyes at the moment and Scott turned his attention on his son. "You're an overgrown kid yourself, son. Do you really think you can be involved with a woman who has a kid?"

"At least I ain't walking out." Logan snapped at his father and Lena leaned against him a little, putting herself closer to Logan, but keeping Logan from getting angry and doing something. Calmly, she looked at her birth father and then told him, "Look… I didn't even know you all knew who I was.. I didn't even know I was adopted until that old bitch Helena shows up at my cabin and drops it all on my lap. If you want to get to know me, sir, I'll love that.. But what I'm not gonna deal with is you and that man," she narrowed her eyes at Logan's father, "Butting into our lives and telling either of us who we can and cannot date just because you two apparently have some old as hell feud."

"Sweetie, this asshole," Luke pointed at Logan, "Almost messed up your sister's life."

"Sir, I'm pretty sure it took two to tango. I'm not saying he's a saint but I am saying that people change and from what I've seen, Logan's a good man. If he weren't, I wouldn't be bothering." Lena spoke as calm as she could because she sensed that if her stubborn nature came from anywhere, it was the man with white blonde hair standing in front of her at the moment.

Her mother spoke up. "What exactly did Helena tell you?"

"Just that you guys for whatever reason, gave me to her to 'get rid of'.. Something about you having been with another guy and how I could be a painful reminder of that?" Lena sighed and shook her head as she added, "But it's okay, look… I had a good life, the family who took me in were great. If that helps you all sleep at night."

"None of that was true.. She stole you from the nursery." Laura explained, the rage at what Helena had done building all over again. "Had we known, trust me.. You would have been bought home where you belonged. We do want you and Colton in our lives.. Very much."

"Yeah, I saw the second DVD she sent in the mail.. And I was confused so I figured it was best not to say anything until I figured out what story she told me was the truth and which one was the lie." Lena managed a smile.

Luke and Scott started to argue again over which of the two was going to destroy which of their children's lives first and halfway into it, Laura looked at Lena and then nodded to the man standing to her left as she smiled. "This is my boyfriend Kevin.. Do the three of you want to leave these two to whatever it is they're hell bent on doing? Maybe we can walk around and talk?"

"I'd love that. It's nice to meet you, Kevin."

"It's nice to meet you too, Lena." Kevin told his girlfriend's daughter as they started to walk away, leaving Luke and Scott to fight it out, all of them more or less just done with the whole scene by that point.

They'd made it to the petting zoo when Lulu spotted her mother and she and Dante wandered over, a little boy in a Yankees baseball uniform between them holding both their hands. Lulu gave Logan a dismissive look and hugged the girl she'd recently discovered was her fraternal twin. "It's so good to finally meet you.. I've wanted to say something so bad. Like, growing up, I wanted a sister more than anything." Lulu gave a soft laugh as Dante and Logan made idle small talk about the shocker that was the Cubs getting into the world series and the cases they were swamped with at work. Laura smiled as she watched her daughters finally getting a chance to bond.

"We're decorating for Thanksgiving this weekend." Laura mentioned casually as she looked from Logan to Lena and said with a smile, "And we'd like you all three to be there.. The rest of your family is going to be there, Lena, so they can finally meet you too."

"There are a lot of us." Lulu gave a laugh and Lena nodded. "I kinda looked into you guys when that old woman showed up with her story the first time.. It'll be nice. We'll be there." Lena promised as Lulu asked with a giggle, "What's your costume?"

"I'm going to guess.. Eddie Valiant and Jessica Rabbit? That was your sister's favorite movie for a while there." Laura admitted as Lena nudged Logan and nodded to her mother as she said "See? It's a good movie!" and told Lulu, "I loved it."

"The bad guy scared me to death."

"Me too."

"Just to satisfy my curiosity, darlin.. you're gonna have to find this movie so I can finally watch it." Logan muttered in Lena's ear as Colton tugged the dress she wore and then asked, "Momma, can I go with Officer Falconeri and Da- err, Officer Hayes and Rocco? They're gonna go get candies from the gypsy lady."

"Do not let him eat all the candy, Logan."

"I make no promises woman." Logan gave Lena a kiss before walking away with Dante, holding Colton's hand as they navigated the crowd.

"Gypsy lady?"

"Dante's mom.. She has visions.. So she set up a fortune telling booth and she's giving kids candy too. Dante promised to take Rocco over to see her a little while. We should go get our fortunes told.. Mom? Do you wanna come with us?"

"I'd like that.. But first, I think it'd be good to get a picture of the three of us." Laura smiled as Kevin took her phone and got them arranged in a group pose before taking a few pictures. Laura hugged both of her daughters and just stared at Lena for a few minutes.. "I wish this hadn't happened and I really hope that we can all get to know each other and that eventually, you'll feel like part of your own family."

"Me too. I'd like that." Lena admitted as she and her sister and mother started to walk towards the fortune telling booth. "I'm gonna go on and admit it now.. Never really gotten my fortune told before.. And given what's been going on lately, I'm kind of up in the air."

"Maybe it'll be good."

"God I hope so."

* * *

Logan

"Tell her thank you, kiddo." I told Colton to thank Dante's mom for the handful of candy and we were on our way out of the little tent, I was going to catch up to Dante and let Lena and her mom and Lulu talk more, when Dante's mom called out to me.

"You have nothing to be afraid of, Logan.. This time really is different. And I think maybe the two of ya found each other when you needed each other most.. Yeah, you're definitely going to be happier." and I nodded, not sure whether it was just your standard 'happiness is waiting' fortune or she'd actually seen something.

We were walking out of the tent when Lena caught up to me, laughing and shaking her head. I slipped my arm around her and asked, "Well, aside from your daddy still being a stubborn old jerk, how'd it go?"

"It went great."

"Do you really want me going with you this weekend?"

"I do, Logan.. We're together, are we not? My father is going to just have to deal with this.. I met my brother Ethan.. He's an interesting guy." Lena was laughing softly as she whispered into my ear, "And my mom wants to take Colton for the night.. I told her it was okay.. I had a hard time doing it, but I'm trying to get to know them all..."

"You did, hmm?" I whispered back as she nodded. "She said that Dante and Lulu are staying with her because their apartment's being renovated, so Dante will be right there with them." and I nodded. "So, it's just you and me, huh?"

"Mhmm."

"See, that makes me think that you're up to something, darlin." I mused as I pulled her in close and chuckled, kissing her.

"Maybe I am, Logan.. Maybe I am."

* * *

FOOTNOTE:

As previously stated, if you want to know more about Lena, go to my user bio on here and read her bio sheet. Actually, everything pertaining to this whole series is on there and I've done a little tweaking and updating to some things, so it's probably a good idea to just read everything.

Thank you guys so much for all the reviews and support! I meant to have this update posted sooner but I've been kinda sick the past few days. But here it is now and I hope to God it was worth the wait. I'm seriously considering doing a one shot series for all the couples in my little alternate universe, it'd be smut and fluff and things... Would anybody wanna read that?


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